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Younger DS. Primary central nervous system vasculitis and headache: Ten themes. Curr Opin Neurol 2023; 36:647-658. [PMID: 37865827 PMCID: PMC10624409 DOI: 10.1097/wco.0000000000001225] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW The primary central nervous system (CNS) vasculitides refers to clinicopathologic disorders that share the histopathology of inflammation of cerebral or spinal blood vessels. Unrecognized and therefore untreated, vasculitis of the CNS results in irreversible injury and disability making these disorders of paramount importance to clinicians. RECENT FINDINGS Headache is an important clue to vasculitic involvement of CNS vessels. CNS vasculitis can be primary, in which only intracranial or spinal vessels are involved in the inflammatory process, or secondary to another known disorder with overlapping systemic involvement. The suspicion of vasculitis based on the history, clinical examination, and laboratory studies warrants prompt evaluation and treatment to prevent cerebral ischemia or infarction. SUMMARY Primary CNS vasculitides can be diagnosed with certainty after intensive evaluation that includes tissue confirmation whenever possible. As in its systemic counterparts, clinicians must choose from among the available immune modulating, suppressive, and targeted immunotherapies to induce and maintain remission status and prevent relapse, tempered by anticipated medication adverse effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- David S Younger
- Department of Medicine, Section of Neuroscience, City University of New York School of Medicine, New York; Department of Neurology, White Plains Hospital, White Plains, New York, USA
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Younger DS. Adult and childhood vasculitis. HANDBOOK OF CLINICAL NEUROLOGY 2023; 195:653-705. [PMID: 37562892 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-323-98818-6.00008-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/12/2023]
Abstract
Vasculitis refers to heterogeneous clinicopathologic disorders that share the histopathology of inflammation of blood vessels. Unrecognized and therefore untreated, vasculitis of the nervous system leads to pervasive injury and disability, making this a disorder of paramount importance to all clinicians. There has been remarkable progress in the pathogenesis, diagnosis, and treatment of primary CNS and PNS vasculitides, predicated on achievement in primary systemic forms. Primary neurological vasculitides can be diagnosed with assurance after intensive evaluation that incudes tissue confirmation whenever possible. Clinicians must choose from among the available immune modulating, suppressive, and targeted immunotherapies to induce and maintain remission status and prevent relapse, unfortunately without the benefit of RCTs, and tempered by the recognition of anticipated medication side effects. It may be said that efforts to define a disease are attempts to understand the very concept of the disease. This has been especially evident in systemic and neurological disorders associated with vasculitis. For the past 100 years, since the first description of granulomatous angiitis of the brain, the CNS vasculitides have captured the attention of generations of clinical investigators around the globe to reach a better understanding of vasculitides involving the central and peripheral nervous system. Since that time it has become increasingly evident that this will necessitate an international collaborative effort.
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Affiliation(s)
- David S Younger
- Department of Clinical Medicine and Neuroscience, CUNY School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States; Department of Medicine, Section of Internal Medicine and Neurology, White Plains Hospital, White Plains, NY, United States.
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Mazzacane F, Mazzoleni V, Scola E, Mancini S, Lombardo I, Busto G, Rognone E, Pichiecchio A, Padovani A, Morotti A, Fainardi E. Vessel Wall Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Cerebrovascular Diseases. Diagnostics (Basel) 2022; 12:diagnostics12020258. [PMID: 35204348 PMCID: PMC8871392 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics12020258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2021] [Revised: 01/08/2022] [Accepted: 01/14/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Cerebrovascular diseases are a leading cause of disability and death worldwide. The definition of stroke etiology is mandatory to predict outcome and guide therapeutic decisions. The diagnosis of pathological processes involving intracranial arteries is especially challenging, and the visualization of intracranial arteries’ vessel walls is not possible with routine imaging techniques. Vessel wall magnetic resonance imaging (VW-MRI) uses high-resolution, multiparametric MRI sequences to directly visualize intracranial arteries walls and their pathological alterations, allowing a better characterization of their pathology. VW-MRI demonstrated a wide range of clinical applications in acute cerebrovascular disease. Above all, it can be of great utility in the differential diagnosis of atherosclerotic and non-atherosclerotic intracranial vasculopathies. Additionally, it can be useful in the risk stratification of intracranial atherosclerotic lesions and to assess the risk of rupture of intracranial aneurysms. Recent advances in MRI technology made it more available, but larger studies are still needed to maximize its use in daily clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federico Mazzacane
- Department of Emergency Neurology and Stroke Unit, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, 27100 Pavia, Italy;
- Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy;
| | - Valentina Mazzoleni
- Neurology Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Brescia, 25121 Brescia, Italy; (V.M.); (A.P.)
- Neurology Unit, Department of Neurological Sciences and Vision, ASST-Spedali Civili, 25123 Brescia, Italy;
| | - Elisa Scola
- Neuroradiology Unit, Department of Radiology, Careggi University Hospital, 50134 Florence, Italy; (E.S.); (S.M.); (I.L.); (G.B.)
| | - Sara Mancini
- Neuroradiology Unit, Department of Radiology, Careggi University Hospital, 50134 Florence, Italy; (E.S.); (S.M.); (I.L.); (G.B.)
| | - Ivano Lombardo
- Neuroradiology Unit, Department of Radiology, Careggi University Hospital, 50134 Florence, Italy; (E.S.); (S.M.); (I.L.); (G.B.)
| | - Giorgio Busto
- Neuroradiology Unit, Department of Radiology, Careggi University Hospital, 50134 Florence, Italy; (E.S.); (S.M.); (I.L.); (G.B.)
| | - Elisa Rognone
- Department of Neuroradiology, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, 27100 Pavia, Italy;
| | - Anna Pichiecchio
- Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy;
- Department of Neuroradiology, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, 27100 Pavia, Italy;
| | - Alessandro Padovani
- Neurology Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Brescia, 25121 Brescia, Italy; (V.M.); (A.P.)
- Neurology Unit, Department of Neurological Sciences and Vision, ASST-Spedali Civili, 25123 Brescia, Italy;
| | - Andrea Morotti
- Neurology Unit, Department of Neurological Sciences and Vision, ASST-Spedali Civili, 25123 Brescia, Italy;
| | - Enrico Fainardi
- Neuroradiology Unit, Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences “Mario Serio”, University of Florence, 50121 Florence, Italy
- Correspondence:
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Akbarzadeh MA, Sanaie S, Kuchaki Rafsanjani M, Hosseini MS. Role of imaging in early diagnosis of acute ischemic stroke: a literature review. THE EGYPTIAN JOURNAL OF NEUROLOGY, PSYCHIATRY AND NEUROSURGERY 2021. [DOI: 10.1186/s41983-021-00432-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
AbstractStroke is a serious health condition that is responsible for more than 5% of total deaths. Near 20% of patients experiencing stroke die every year, resulting in the stroke being at the top of the list of preventable causes of death. Once an acute stroke is suspected, a golden hour of less than an hour is available to prevent the undesirable consequences. Since neuroimaging is mandatory in the diagnosis of stroke, the proper use of neuroimaging could help saving time and planning the right treatment for the patient. Some of the available imaging methods help us with rapid results, while others benefit us from a more accurate diagnosis. Hereby, we aim to provide a clinical review of the advantages and disadvantages of different available neuroimaging methods in approaching acute stroke to help clinicians choose the best method according to the settings.
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Stroke Treatment in the Setting of Systemic Disease. Curr Treat Options Neurol 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s11940-020-00650-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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